With daily flights to Hawaii and related staff based on the island, the union agreement for Alaska Airlines 
aircraft technicians is good news.
Alaska Airlines and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) announced on Oct. 12 a tentative agreement on a proposed five-year contract for the carrier's 626 aircraft technicians and related employees. The proposed contract includes annual pay raises, additional job protection provisions, and a shared commitment between Alaska Airlines and AMFA to work on minimizing health care cost increases.
"By working together, the negotiators have shown that it's possible to reach a tentative agreement before the amendable date of a contract. That doesn't happen very often in the airline business," said Earl Clark, director of AMFA Region 1.
Further details on the contract are withheld pending a ratification vote by union members, with expected completion by mid-November. If ratified, the new contract would become amendable on Oct. 17, 2016. The current contract is amendable on Oct. 17, 2011.
AMFA is the largest craft union representing aircraft technicians and related employees and serves members at Alaska, Mesaba and Southwest Airlines. AMFA's motto is "safety in the air begins with quality maintenance on the ground."
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, together serve 90 cities in Alaska, the “Lower 48,” Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "highest in customer satisfaction among traditional network carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies.
Visit www.alaskaair.com
